- Bluesky Certification -

Letter to Editor - Fire Door Safety Week

Dear Ian,

In this year’s Fire Door Safety Week there has never before been so much scrutiny on fire door product specification, manufacture, installation and maintenance. We are all aware how integral fire doors are when a fire breaks out in a building after the devastating fire at Grenfell Tower. Properly manufactured, installed and maintained fire doors help to ensure compartmentalisation of fire and stop the fire spreading inside the building

The fire at Grenfell Tower, and before that Lakanal House, mean issues around fire safety are in the spotlight. It’s highlighted that whatever part in the supply chain, there’s potentially a personal liability if things go wrong. It might sound sensationalist, but would you be prepared to go to prison to secure a contract?

Individuals and companies can take steps to protect themselves. While third party certification is not mandatory, it offers a robust framework for manufacturing fire doors. More to the point, third party certification is recommended in Building Regulations for fire doors, making it even more appropriate. A Building Regulations review in the light of the Grenfell tower fire is likely to make third party certification mandatory for those manufacturing or installing fire doors, so achieving it now not only provides peace of mind, but is likely to prepare companies for emerging requirements.

CE marking for fire doors is not yet a legal requirement, however it is likely that it will become mandatory in the future. Therefore, it makes sense for companies to choose a third-party certification body that is a Notified Body, so that when CE Marking for fire doors comes into legislation, they already have everything in place.

Bluesky Certification is a Notified Body for fire doors, one of very few companies that offer this service in the UK. We also offer SBD and panic exit doorset certification, so where fire doors need to adhere to other criteria, we can offer a complete service.

Bluesky’s vision is to provide credible certification encouraging companies to improve the quality of their products and to allow them to differentiate themselves.

Bluesky’s vision is to provide credible certification encouraging companies to improve the quality of their products and to allow them to differentiate themselves.

We believe that well-informed customers make better decisions. Doors and windows have a big effect on your safety and security so you want a simple set of trustworthy factors to help you make good decisions. Doors and windows are no different in this respect to buying a car or appliance.